UN – French Security Council presidency - Statement (March 2019)

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As of March 1, France holds the monthly presidency of the UN Security Council.

We applaud the work carried out by Equatorial Guinea, whose presidency ended on February 28.

According to the UN Charter, the chief responsibilities of the Security Council are peacekeeping and international security. As a permanent member, France has a special responsibility in those areas.

At a time when the international community is facing multiples challenges, France intends to share with its partners an ambitious vision of the Security Council, which remains an invaluable tool for the peaceful resolution of disputes.

The Council presidency will be punctuated by regular and obligatory deadlines, such as the renewal of mandates for peacekeeping operations, briefings by the Secretariat-General, open debates, and the adoption of texts. Under the French presidency, the Security Council will continue to follow the situations in Syria, Yemen, Mali, and more broadly in the Sahel, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Haiti, and the question of the Western Sahara.

On the occasion of our presidency, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian will be in New York on March 28 – April 2 to underscore France’s commitment to the following priorities:

  • the fight against the financing of terrorism;
  • active support for peacekeeping, especially in Mali, where France is determined to fight against all those who hinder the return of peace;
  • conflict resolution and the commitment to peace;
  • respect for international humanitarian law, in particular by strengthening protection for humanitarian and medical personnel working in conflict zones, and the preservation of humanitarian values;
  • the environment and the climate.

Finally, France and Germany will take advantage of a calendar in which they will successively hold the Security Council presidency in March and April by introducing several joint initiatives that will be presented by both foreign ministers, Jean-Yves Le Drian and Heiko Maas, during their visit to New York.

For more information :
On Twitter : #FrPrez #Action4Peace #ServingForPeace ;
On the Internet : www.franceonu.org - www.diplomatie.gouv.fr